Revival (Decatur, GA)

Clyde and I enjoyed one of our favorite meals ever — a progression of culinary surprises, from Spanish octopus with candied coriander to Buffalo spiced pork belly — at Kevin Gillespie’s boisterous, manic Gunshow. You can imagine, then, how excited we were to take family from Mississippi to Gillespie’s “Southern Grandmother”-themed restaurant, Revival.

For $42.00 per person, the “family-style dinner” at Revival serves up exactly what you’d expect: kale salads, corn bread, macaroni and cheese, and collard greens, plus fried chicken, fried fish, and even fried pies. But of all the dishes we sampled, only the mac and cheese (with its touch of Velveeta and crown of Utz potato chips) drew nods of approval (and those weren’t unanimous).

Other sides failed to impress, including the over-salted cat’s head biscuit dressing. The fried chicken, with the meat imprisoned in a tough shell of hard-fried batter, couldn’t hold a candle to the boxed-up yardbird from the Publix deli. After dessert, more than half our bread pudding and lemon ice box pie remained on the plate.

At the end of the meal, we did what polite Southern families do: we smiled, we nodded, we agreed that everything was good — and then left, shaking our heads and saying, “Bless their hearts.”

You could choose to spend a lot of points here, given all the deep-fried cheesy goodness. Skip the $42.00 family style option, and order the kale salad and a fish dish. Have a bite of the cornbread before committing; in my opinion, it’s not a good bargain. The desserts are large, but not very point-worthy, so I advise ordering just one for three or four people to share.

About the author

Mark McElroy

Adventure dining is fine with me, but I have a real passion for those consistent, unique, affordable neighborhood places you can go any night of the week. I'm also a little obsessed with great pizza. As a Weight Watcher, I'm learning to balance my love for good food with a healthier, sustainable way of eating.

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About This Site

MarkEatsThis.com is where Mark McElroy writes about dining, dieting, and decadence. MarkEatsThis is a great guide to good meals in Midtown Atlanta (and some surrounding neighborhoods), with a few notes from places we visit when traveling, too. And because I’m a dedicated Weight Watcher, you’ll find tips on what to order if you want big flavor without big calories.